Random thoughts and ramblings of an avid cyclist, bike shop owner and mechanic, lover of the outdoors, etc.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

One bike leaves the herd...

Yes, I've actually decided to part with one of my bikes. Readers of this blog might think "wait, I don't think he's ever written anything about this bike before"... and you're right... aside from a passing mention or two, I haven't really said much about it. Which goes a long way to explain why I'm passing it on to my best friend (who also has the Fuji Allegro that used to be mine). I've had the bike for a number of years, but honestly wasn't riding it all that much, so when my best friend said he was looking for a lighter, faster bike than the ones he has, I suggested he give some thought to this one.

The bike is a 1978 Raleigh Professional, a bike that I had eyed a lot when I was a teenager in the late 70s. I never had that kind of money back then though, so it wasn't until a few years ago I finally got my hands on one. It's a handsome bike, and a very nice riding one, but over the years I found I was riding it less and less. Part of the reason was the "sewup" tires which are trickier to mount and repair than conventional tires, but I also found the "race" orientation of the bike just made it one that I rode less often than my more "general purpose" bikes.

Like most better racing bikes of its era, the Pro was equipped with Campagnolo components, the Nuovo Record group to be exact. Very nice stuff, just about top of the line back then... the only thing "better" was Super Record, with some titanium bits in the mix. Solid, reliable, and beautiful, these old Campy parts were beyond my reach in '78, but I've since owned several bikes set up with them, and I have to say, while folks used to modern indexed shifting systems and integrated shift/brake levers might not appreciate them, they work great and hold up for years.

That being said, my buddy had said he was looking for something a bit more modern, so after some thought and consultation, I put together a more modern mix of components to suit his needs. First, we decided on indexed bar end shifters, as he was accustomed to that shifter position from his other bikes. Shimano derailleurs and an eight speed cassette sprocket cluster on the rear coupled with a Velo Orange "compact double" crankset on the front gives a nice, practical range of gears and smooth, easy shifting.

Brakes are a nice set of Tektro dual pivot sidepulls... much more powerful than the original Campy Record brakes. Finally, the wheels were built up on Shimano Tiagra hubs, using double butted stainless steel spokes and Mavic Open Sport rims, for solid but light wheels. Last but not least, we mounted Panaracer Pasela tires, a favorite of mine, in 28mm width, for a nice balance of speed and comfort.

My friend has only had a chance to take a short ride on it so far... we got a major snow storm a few days after he picked it up... but based on his first impressions, he's going to like this bike a lot. Light and nimble, classically styled but with modern updates, I think it's a winner. I'll let you know how it works out in the long run as he gets more opportunities to ride the bike this spring.

3 comments:

This is the bike I fell in love with back in the late 70's, after seeing one get built up in my LBS (a Schwinn dealer, back when those existed). The color scheme did it for my, along with the Campy Record groupe.

Me at the 2009 Brompton World Championship

About Me

I'm a fiftysomething guy who loves bicycles and just about everything related to bicycles. I used to work in the field of theatrical technical production (scenery and lighting, primarily), but in the last 5 years have begun a career in the bicycle industry. I'm now the owner of bikes@vienna, a small, independent bike shop in Vienna, VA, that specializes in what other shops don't carry... specifically, recumbents and folding bikes. We also cater to folks with special needs who want to enjoy the outdoors on two or three wheels. When I'm not riding or working on bikes, I enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities, as well as reading and just hanging out with my cat.

What will you find here?

In general you can expect to see observations about what's going on in my life, as well as information and thoughts related to bicycles and bicycle repair and construction. I also seem to write a lot about Tybalt, my cat, or so I have been told.

What's with the name?

Well, I chose "Spokes of a Wheel" for several reasons... First, because I love bicycles, and in particular, the bicycle wheel. They are just amazing works of technology and art, in my opinion. Second, in a typical bicycle wheel, spokes radiate outward from a center, and cross and touch each other as they do... kinda like people, no? Finally, I am a native of the DC area, and I have always found it humorous that people try to explain the street "system" there as "like spokes in a wheel". Look at it sometime... or better yet, drive it, and tell me where you've seen such a bizarrely spoked wheel!